This year in particular most of us are looking forward to the New Year and the hope of a fresh start. For most of us though, making a New Year’s Resolution is usually a guaranteed set up for a false start. This year, I want to help you head into 2021 with the best chances of reaching your goals for beautiful, healthy and younger skin. The good news is that you don't have to be perfect every day, and you will succeed by taking baby steps rather than trying to make big leaps.

It may surprise you to see that beautiful healthy skin that ages successfully, and the key steps to getting you there, can have an impact even beyond your skin. As a physician and dermatologist, I know your skin is a powerful reflection of your overall health and well-being. My goal and resolution is to help you look and you’re your best at every age:

1. Remember to be thankful: This is true in life and true for your skin. When you look in the mirror, allow yourself to see and be thankful for your unique beauty. What are your best features? Is it your eyes? Your bone structure? Your lips? Being thankful for your special qualities and reflecting that, is a great way to start your new year off beautifully.

Another important goal is to be thankful for your natural skin tone and to go with your own glow. This means being sun smart:

- Use sunscreen every day all year round

- Reapply every 2 hours when you’re out

- Wear a hat and sun protective clothing when possible

- Stay in the shade when you can

It will make this years’ resolution for beautiful healthy skin a reality and will add value for years to come because the fact is that 90% of wrinkles and the signs of aging we see in the skin come from exposure to ultraviolet rays. Simply protecting against damage will serve you well for decades to come.

2. Love is not what you say. Love is what you do: loving your skin means following a daily routine of great skin care. It starts with cleansing as the first step. This is often overlooked but it is especially important to wash off makeup, pollution and buildup of oils from the day. The next step is regular exfoliation, how often depends on your skin type, after that I love serums containing growth factors and antioxidants to help your skin regenerate and rejuvenate and of course sunscreen and moisturizers like my ultra rich peptide renewal cream to round out the set of recommendations. One simple guide to order of application of skin care products is order of thickness:

• Start with cleanser, use lukewarm water and pat your skin dry afterwards rather than rubbing
• Toner goes next. This is one product I often skip but some like a toner so this would be the time to use it
• Pads or anything that wipes
• Serum
• Lotions
• Gel
• Cream
• Ointment

There's no need to use all of these but this would be the order to keep in mind for the products you use. It is important to stick with any new product for a minimum of 4-6 weeks to see lasting results. 

3. Let go of what’s gone but keep the lesson: Every day I hear patients lamenting their years of tanning and other lifestyle choices that accelerated the aging of their skin. Premature aging shows as blotchy uneven skin tone, wrinkles and sagging. The good news is what you do today can help undo at least some of the damage of the past. Simply stopping tanning and using sunscreen every day all year round will go a long way to avoiding future damage and will allow your skin to reverse some of the changes that have occurred. A visit to your dermatologist will also help, as we have outstanding non-surgical approaches to turn back the clock leaving you restored and beautiful. Triple brightening complex

4. Don’t let others steal your peace: The holidays can be very stressful. You can be pulled in so many directions, and this year there's extra stress around COVID and all the uncertainty that goes with it. The compounding of stress upon stress can lead to a flare of anything you’re prone to from acne to eczema to psoriasis or rosacea and, worse of all for so many of us, it can lead to stress shedding of your hair, which is one of the most common issues I'm seeing on a daily basis in the office. Your body likes routine, it is called homeostasis. To navigate through the stress and soften the effects it has on your skin and body, it helps to acknowledge your feelings and to allow time for yourself every day. Try to keep consistent sleep-wake  times, minimize simple sugars in your diet, increase antioxidants, like from vegetables, and avoid excess salt and alcohol. It’s totally worth it to have radiant beautiful skin. Your skin quickly will reflect when you follow these guidelines, and when you don't!

5. Be Patient. Things will get better: you didn’t get where you are over night, if won't be fixed it overnight. We live in a time of instant results, quick fixes and apps that make everyone look picture perfect, at least in pictures, but they set unrealistic expectations of what it takes to reach those goals. True and lasting changes, including improvement in collagen skin quality, and restoring you back to a more youthful appearance in a natural way takes time and is best done in baby steps. This will leave you looking your best not just today and this year, but for years to come.  

Detox Your Skin:

• Deep clean: Gently steam your pores open: place a towel over your head and a bowl of warm water (not boiling!) for 3-5 minutes to help the moisture reach and open the pores. Be sure to be careful to not over-heat or burn your face
• Apply a thin coating of buttermilk mixed with honey 1/4 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 tablespoon honey). Leave on for five minutes
• Rinse with lukewarm water
• Apply growth factor serum, try the TNS Advanced Plus, then moisturizer, I love my Ultra Rich Peptide Renewal Cream
• As an alternative, try Detoxifying Anti-Redness Mask or the Mint Clarifying Mask. Your skin will be on the path to healthier in no time!

Bottom line: Each point was meant to inspire you in many ways for the coming year. There are no shortcuts, but you have the whole year to follow them for a great year and beautiful, healthy, happy years to follow.